Coach DeShone’s sophomore season begins

Sarah DeShone is in her second year as the girls’ basketball coach, and her ambition and excitement for another season are still as high as her first year at LPHS.
DeShone has been around basketball since she was a baby. Her dad and brother coach basketball, and growing up, DeShone and her siblings have all played, which helped her grow to learn and understand this sport.
“My dad coached at Jimtown High School for almost 20 years and then at Elkhart. My brother currently coaches boys’ varsity at Concord, so I’ve been around basketball my whole life, and growing up we all played, so it’s kind of in our blood,” DeShone said.
DeShone played basketball in high school in Elkhart, college, and even had the chance to play professionally in Denmark.
“I played basketball at Ferris State University in Michigan and did fairly well, so I filmed myself play, and I sent them to places to play,” DeShone said
Playing professionally was fun for DeShone; she stayed in Denmark for a year playing for Lemvig Baskets, and she even helped coach one of the women’s divisions.
“It was really fun and the people there were amazing, but I ended up doing it for one year because I missed being home, and I felt like I fulfilled that itch of playing basketball, and now it was time to move on and start coaching,” DeShone said
After DeShone stopped playing professional basketball, she went on to become the Mishawaka jv coach for one year and varsity head coach for two years. Then the job title at LPHS piqued her interest, and she applied.
“I was looking for something new at that point, something that was in my path that God was giving me, and it happened to be the job I got offered here at LPHS, ” DeShone said
DeShone and the Slicers are coming off a Sectional championship from last season and trying to rebuild after losing many of its core players. The team still has high goals.
“Our goals are always to grow as a person and as a team, and as for playing goals, it’s to always give their best at every game. Our end goal is to win at Sectionals,” DeShone said.
The team lives by the motto “Win the Day” this season. They have worked tirelessly to improve each day against tough competition.
LPGBB is a special program that requires a great deal of time and dedication, but the chance to wear the Slicer jersey is worth it.
“It is a lot of work we practice every day of the week except for Sundays, but it’s worth it. The kids we have on our team are awesome, and we have very nice families who are part of the program,” DeShone said.
DeShone and the varsity team are taking it day by day, week by week, and focusing on themselves to be better.
“I’m super excited for the season this year, and the girls are a really fun group and we are gonna keep fighting and it’ll be fun to come and watch them, ” DeShone said.
Come watch the girls’ basketball games on the 17th at 7:00 pm, 18th at 2:30 pm, and 28th at 9:00 am all in the main gym.